Bridge structure



March 8, 1938.. c. M. NEELD H BRIDGE STRUCTURE,

Filed Feb. 15, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l Wm 9/, &

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BRIDGE STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 15, 955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w ldl m l UH ITIHHW I Patented Mar. 8, 1938 BRIDGE STRUCTURE.

Charles M. Neeld, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Roberta McN. Neeld, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application February 15, 1935, Serial No. 6,683

3 Claims.

My invention relates to flooring for bridges and other structures, and has for one of its objects the provision of a flooring arrangement of such form that it possesses great rigidity and stiffness, although of lighter weight than various forms of floors heretofore employed.

Another object of my invention is to provide metal flooring members of such form that standard rolled shapes may be employed without fabrication at the shop, and which members can be conveniently and quickly assembled at the place of erection.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a flooring structure, wherein the stringers and fioor beams need not be placed so closely together as in various previous structures, and shop work on the beams and stringers is reduced or eliminated.

A further object of my invention is to provide a floor having paving-supporting plates or shapes that possess a high modulus of resistance, combined with a wide support for the paving or other wearing surface, and at the same time, to reduce the quantity of dead weight of the concrete or other filler, to a minimum.

Another object of my invention is to provide a floor-structure of members so formed and arranged as to effect distribution of wheel loads over wide areas, in directions transversely of the roadway.

Some of the forms which my invention may take are shown in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a bridge floor; Fig. 2 is a View taken on the line II-II of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional View showing another form of fioor structure; Fig. 4 is a plan view thereof; Fig. 5 shows another modification. Fig. 6 shows still another form of floor plate and the manner of mounting the same; Fig. '7 shows a modification of the structure of Fig. 6, and Figs. 8 and 9, respectively, show still other mlodifications.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, stringers II and floor beams II! of somewhat the usual form are employed. Intermediate cross beams I3 and I4- are supported on the stringers and the floor beams, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2. Arch beams I 5 extend longitudinally of the bridge and are supported by the intermediate beams I3 and I4. The beams I5 are of generally arch form, and are provided with bulb-like edges I6 that are longitudinally grooved. The beams therefore have what is termed a high sectional modulus of resistance to bending stresses, although they are of comparatively light-weight.

It will be seen that the arch beams may be formed by rolling, andthat there is no necessity for shop fabrication. The enlarged or bulb-like edges of the arch beams result in a balanced shape in that the center of bending moments is 5 at approximately mid-height in the beam.

T-headed bars I'I have their heads extending into the grooves in the edges I6 of the beams I5. The elements I6 may suitably be tack-Welded or otherwise attached to the intermediate crossbeams I3 and I4, and to the T-bars I'I. lhe stems of the T-bars may be slitted and spread at intervals as indicated at I8, so that they will serve to anchor concrete filling material I9 to the plates I5. Rails I'Ia may be used instead of the bars IT. The concrete filling material is of such depth that it comes approximately to the uppermost plane of the beams I5. Surfacing material 20 such as asphalt macadam, or other suitable paving material, is placed upon the concrete I9 and the tops of the beams I5.

Ordinarily, a tar-like binder will be placed on the upper surfaces of the arch beams and on the concrete filler to cause adhesion of the paving material to such surfaces, and reinforcing mesh may be incorporated in the paving.

If street car rails 2| are employed, certain of the beams I5 can rest on the base flanges thereof, and be tack-welded thereto. The street car rails may rest directly upon the intermediate cross beams I3 and I4.

In those instances where a certain number of arch beams I5 are not quite suflicient to cover the full width of a given space, they are bridged by suitable plates, or by a channel 22. The tackwelding of the parts above-referred to, together with the anchoring of the concrete at I8 and the filling in of concrete beneath the rail heads, maintains the parts in rigid engagement. The concrete also has close-fitting affinity for the surfacing or paving material, and assists in maintaining the paving material in place.

The arch beams I5 are of considerable length and have great resistance to bending stresses as heretofore explained, having the advantage of continuous spans, thus efiecting great saving in Weight, so that the number of stringers and floor beams required to produce sufiicient stiffness and strength in the structure is not so great as would be required with beams or plates of other shapes. The flooring is substantially water-tight, and the undersides of the beams I5 are readily accessible for painting. No fabrication is required, and therefore the various metal members may be shipped from the rolling mill direct to the place of final installation.

An arch beam 24 of substantially the form of the beams l5 may be utilized as a traflic barrier or guard, such beam; being secured to uprights or posts 25 by means of plates 26. that may be welded or otherwise secured to the posts and beam.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, I show a structure embodying cross beams 30, arch beams 3!, and I-beams 32. In this instance, the arch beams have their edges 33 of bulb-like form, supported upon the I-beams 32 that are in turn carried by the cross beams 30. In assembling the beams 3| with the beams 32, wedges 3 are driven between the webs of the beams 32 and the beams 3|, sothat the parts are securely held together. In addition, the arch beams may be tack-welded to the beams 32 and the wedges 34. will be introduced into the depressions, and surfacing material placed on the concrete over the plates 3!, as in the case of Fig. 1. Where the structure is to be subjected to very heavy loads, supporting pieces 35 can be placed between the cross beams 30 and the arch beams 3|, if desired.

In Fig. 5, I show a structure similar to that of Figs. 3 and 4, in that wedges 31 are provided for effecting tight-fitting engagement as between the arch beams 38 and I-beams 39. The edges of the beams 38 are grooved or channeled as in Fig. 1, so that they can beutilized for the reception of reinforcing or anchoring members, such as the members I! of Fig. 1.

In Fig. 6, the, arch beams ll are shown as supported directly upon a floor beam 42, andmay be welded thereto.

In Fig. 7, the structure differs from that of Fig. 6, primarily in that the arch beams M are provided with grooves in their edges so as to permit the insertion of splice or filler plates 45, to which the beams 44 may be welded, if desired. The plates 45 serve as filler elements in those cases where the beams 44 are not quite of sulficient width to extend across a given width of floor area. I

In Fig. 8, I show a structure composed of arch beams 4'! and 48 that are of different depths. The beam 48 may be welded to the beams 4i, and is shown as of somewhat greater width than the plates 41, so that it can. be utilized to overlie an area that is greater than the width of one of the beams 41.

In Fig. 9, I show a structure wherein a. plate 59, which can be a trafiic plate, extends across the space between two arch beams 5i, in. which case it is not necessary to fill said space with concrete. A T-bar 52 has its end flanges disposed within the grooves of the arch beams 5 l and may be welded to such beams. and also welded to the top plate 59, thus giving increased strength.

A bar 53 of generally oval form in cross section can be substituted for the bar 52, and will ordinarily have drive fit with the slots in the edges of the arch beams, so that it will rigidly maintain the edges of the arch beams in alignment, and distribute loads evenly.

The enlarged edges of the arch beams have thrust engagement with one another, either directly or through the medium of inserted bars or Concrete 7 plates, thus serving to brace'and support one another. Because the arch beams extend in directions longitudinally of the roadway, the corduroy effects such as are frequently found in bridge structures where the paving is laid mainly on metal members which extend transversely of the roadway, is avoided.

Where the edges of the arch beams directly engage one another as in Figs. 6, '7 and 8, they are preferably welded together, so as to increase the rigidity and strength of the'structure. The

arch beam formed is superior to ordinary channels wherein the flanges are vertically disposed or perpendicular to the plane of the web, because for a given overall width of beam, the webs of my beam can be made narrower relative to said width, because the flanges thereof are flared, to produce the rigid effect. In the case of ordinary channels, the webs are approximately equal in width to the overall width of the beam.

In Fig. 8, two of the arch beams are shown as having flanges each approximately equal to the width of the Web.

I claim as my invention':-

1. Floor structure forroadwa'ys and the like, comprising supporting beams, arch beams mounted on the supporting beams and flared downwardly, the arch beams having their edges grooved longitudinally, bar-like members each having at its lower portion flanges which extend laterally into the grooves of adjacent arch beams and having laterally-extending flange-like portions at their tops, concrete filling material in the spaces between the arch beams and embedding the exposed portions of the bar-like members, and paving surface material overlying the concrete and the uppermost surfaces of the arch beams.

2. Floor structure for roadways and the like, comprising supporting beams, arch beams mounted on the supporting beams and flared downwardly, the arch beams having their edges grooved longitudinally, bar-like members each having at its lower portion flanges which extend laterally into the grooves of adjacent arch beams and having laterally-extending flangelike portions at their tops, concrete filling material in the spaces between the arch beams and embedding the exposed portions of .the'bar-like members, and paving surface material overlying the concrete and the uppermost surfaces of the arch beams, the topmost flanges of said bar members being disposed in a plane adjacent to, but below, the uppermost plane of the arch beams.

3. Floor structure for roadways and the like, comprising supporting beams, arch beams mounted on the supporting beams and flared downwardly, the arch beams having their edges grooved longitudinally, bar-like members each having at its lower portion flanges which extend laterally into the grooves of adjacent arch beams and having laterally-extending flangelike portions at their tops, and paving material in the spaces between the arch beams, embedding the exposed portions of the bar-like members and overlying the uppermost surfaces of the arch beams.

CHARLES 

